the bowron lakes adventure: days 1-4

for christmas, christine got me a trip on the bowron lakes.  in december, june seemed so far away.  even still, by february, i had practiced packing my bag a few times, and in april we got a food dehydrator to make some camping food to bring along.  it all came together june 21 when we hit the curcuit.  we had planned for 8 days and 7 nights to do the trip.  even though we ended up bringing food for 3 months and 23 days.


its a totally sweet trip.  i can see now why it was voted one of north america's 5 best canoe trips. im ready to go again, and i still got dry food left to bring. :P

i was not sure the best way to post this adventure.  day by day would have you all reading the adventure backwards, so i decided to put it into 2 posts. days 1-4 first. sorry for the delay.

We had a package rental at Becker lodge.  a night in a sweet cabin before the trip, canoe rental for 10 days, and a night in the cabin upon our return.  we were going to bring our own canoe, pen 15, but the thought if driving 9 hours with tie down straps vibrating made us crazy.  actually doing it would have made us even crazier.

the cabin

a randon 68 dodge cornet superbee that was patrolling the area

looking down bowron lake.  thats were we would come from on the last day of the trip

Day 1.

We registered for the 12:00 departure, so we re-packed our stuff in the morning, had breakfast and proceeded to the check in place.  they only let a certain number of people on the circut a day, so you have to register a few months before.

The park lady weighed our stuff and we were off.  The 1st portage was a tough start.  our packs were still full of food and it was 3km to the put in on a mostly uphill gravel path.  the path was nice.  the heavy packs and mega mosquitoes were not.

finally the canoe gets wet.

the short chanel into kibee lake.  tons of fish.

the 1st of many old cabins.  pretty sweet.

2nd portage.  this is the mudhole of adversity that stole christy's sandle.  i showed it in the end.

the cabin we ended up staying in.  we were going to tent, but the cabin was so cool we had to try it out.

the canoe and the mountain across indian point lake on the 1st evening.

a moose that swam across the lake while we were brushing our teeth.  pretty cool.

 The cabin ended up being a little bonus.  small inside, but a cool experience we couldn't pass up.  we thought the views today were pretty sweet, but they were nothing yet.

Day 2

We left indian point lake via a swampy portage that was bug central.  i killed 6 with 1 wap.  the portage was really flooded at the end, and the rabid attack moose i was ready to spray with pepper spray turned out to be a washed up dock imitating the sounds of a flesh starved attack moose.

the wet end of the portage into issac lake

when is a moose not a moose?

Isaac lake was the next lake, and the biggest lake on the circuit. Crazy mountain and waterfalls on both sides.

our lunch spot on isaac lake

wolverine mountain.  with ranger cabin at the bottom.

near the geocache

Right around here we also found our first geocache of the trip.  next to some cool falls.

the super bee beat us to the next cabin?  must know a short cut.

we stopped at the elbow of the lake in another cabin we found. good thing, there was a mad thunderstorm that night. we were warm and dry in the cabin.

the 2nd cabin.  the creek is not always there.  just in really high water.

the view from the office.

Day 3

What a crazy storm last night.  the shoreline needed to be cleaned of of monster logs that blew in before we could even launch the canoe in the morning.

we paddled down isaac lake, stopping at another cabin.  it was too early to camp, so we kept paddling

another cabin we passed.

insane reflections in the calm lake

the lake was super calm, and we made good time.

good times making good time

its obviously a puffy assed llama

the sun was out for a bit, and there was a cloud that looked like a llama with a puffy ass and a scarf.  around the time of the llama sighting, a big storm whipped up and we had to make a beeline for the nearest campsite.  it was very flooded, and we canoed past the fire pit to the only dry spot.

very flooded campsite.

then the rain hit.  i quickly set up a tarp and we cooked some soup that we had dehydrated before we left.  it warmed us up and gave the storm enough time to pass.

home made 3 sisters soup.  for the body and soul

then it was back on the water for the rest of the sunny day.  weird weather for sure.

headed down isaac lake in the aftermath of the storm.

about 2/3ds of the way down the lake it was getting late and time to find a dry campspot.  the water was so high, it took a few trys before we found one that was dry.  a great night in the tent.

our 3rd sleeping spot.  finally a dry one.

Day 4
this was a long day of paddling, but a sweet one.  our goal was "the chute", the end of isaac lake where it becomes McLeary Lake, then the Caribou River.  we weren't sure how long it would take, and it seemed like a good goal.  there are 2 portages there as well, and those can be tough, so it seemed like an ideal spot.

awesome beginning of the day

one of many falls we passed.

Around 1, we saw the wall of rain heading our way.  The water was still calm, but it was also falling from the sky.  We didn't need to run for cover, just put on a jacket.

paddling in the gentle rain for 30 minutes.

we stopped for a snack at a flooded rocky creek, and guess what we saw?!

wtf?  the 68 cornet superbee beat us hear?

After the snack, time to paddle again.  sunny again as well.  sweet times.

christy and the gear on sunny isaac lake.

We got to the chute much earlier than expected.  we had lunch at the cook shelter that was very decorated with mementos other groups had left before us.  some cool carvings and almost an eerie feeling.

the cook shack at the top of the chute

looking back up isaac lake before we portage on.

the portage kept us busy.  2 portages and some quick moving water we had to negotiate.  no time for pictures, sorry.  after we finished portaging, we saw a cabin on the map and decided to head for it for the night.  we got there, saw it was very flooded, and decided to move on, despite or sore arms after hours of paddling and portaging.

the flooded cabin.  can't stay here.

next was McCleary Lake. A very short paddle with an big eagle watching us. Then the caribou river. very high and fast. a good chance to take advantage of the current to do some of the work.

riding the current on the caribou river

It was starting to get late by the time we left the river and entered lanezi lake.  it was a beautiful lake, with some very flooded camp sites.

on lanezi lake

We finally stopped at the 3rd site on the lake, since it was the 1st dry one.  the light of the evening was pretty cool.  the caribou mountain were all around us.  and a little rain was following us.

sunset on lanezi

We filtered some water and began dinner, trying to beat the rain

christy using the water filter.  that thing got a workout.

here comes the rain

rain passing over us, and the highest mountain on the circuit in the background

rainbow for dinner!

There was a new cook shelter at the site.a good place to keep dry.  we were the 2nd people to visit the new shelter! 

We slept well in the tent after a big day of paddling and a big dinner.